caution
by tatty ted
Summary: AU. Eva-Anne Carson, Lorna Dickey's eleven year old daughter starts at Waterloo Road Comprehensive. Dubbed "the fiesty one" Eva isn't afraid of using her fists if its absolutely necessary especially if its to protect her mother. Eva hopes her first year won't be complicated but this is Waterloo Road, and Waterloo Road isn't without its drama. - —Lorna/OC.
1. CHAPTER I

**notes** — AU for series 1.

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**caution**  
_you only get one chance, don't get nine._

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She's stood in the playground standing out like a sore thumb because she's the only one wearing the correct school uniform. She has a Jane Norman bag on her shoulder and she glances around the playground, scared of where she's heading.

She sighs. She wishes she'd accepted her mother's invitation for a lift this morning instead of insisting of being independent and walking. There was a chatter of excitement and Eva found herself pushed forwards. Her bag fell off her shoulder and she bent down to retrieve it.

She stood up and looked towards the roof of the school. There was an old man at the top, throwing stacks of paper at the crowd below. All the other pupils jeered except Eva who felt a little sad for the old man, he obviously couldn't handle what Waterloo Road was turning into.

Hearing Mr Rimmer shout for everyone to go back inside, Eva took out a crumpled piece of paper from her coat pocket. Unravelling it, she stared at the writing saying she needed to be in Room 32b. She sighed, this would be a long morning trying to find where everything was.

Pushing her way through the crowds, she ended up in reception. Looking left and right, she decided to head left, wondering if she'd find the classroom on her own. She knew if she became lost, she would ask Mr Rimmer if she could remember where his office was.

She wasn't going to attend Waterloo Road Comprehensive, the school her mother wanted to send her to had exceeded its pupil numbers and the only other school the LEA could offer, other than Waterloo Road was an All Girls' School on the outskirts of Rochdale.

Judging by the mess of this school, she wished she'd accepted the place at the All Girls School.

Becoming lost in the maze of corridors, Eva approached a group of teenage girls wearily and asked if they knew where Room 32b was. Pointing her in the right direction, Eva thanked them and smiled, heading towards the direction of the room.

Reaching the room, she knocked on the door and stepped inside. Catching the eye of the teacher, she muttered an apology of why she was so late and sat down at the first seat she could find. The girl beside her smiled warmly at her and she smiled back.

"I'm Miss Campbell and I will be your form tutor for the next five years."

The class groaned and Kim laughed, "This morning I will give you a timetable with your lessons on it. We'll do a few ice-breaker games, getting to know each other. Are there any questions?"

Nobody put their hand up so Kim continued. She gave each pupil a white label in which they'd put their name on and wear it all day. This would make getting to know each other a lot easier, especially to Eva as she wasn't very good with names.

Eva unzipped her bag and took out her brand new pencil case. Taking out a pencil, she wrote an outline of her name.

"I'm Cheryl." The voice beside her said and Eva turned to the girl, "Eva-Anne but just Eva will do."

They chattered away like old friends, discussing what primary school they attended, what their favourite things were and celebrity crushes. When they received their timetable, the first thing Eva did was check who her English teacher was.

She sighed deeply when the words Miss Dickey stared back at her, she knew this would be interesting.

/

At the end of the English lesson, Eva was packing away her stuff when Lorna said gently;

"It's Eva isn't it? Mind if we have a chat?" Eva nodded slowly, zipped up her bag and put it over her shoulder. The last pupil left the classroom, closing the door behind them and Eva leant against the desk.

"You can drop the act now Mum."

Lorna laughed. She didn't want her only daughter to attend Waterloo Road, she wanted her daughter to reach her full potential. She was smart and brilliant and Waterloo Road wouldn't push her. It was hardly a Super School was it?

"How's your first day going?"

Eva shrugged. She hadn't experienced it enough to form an opinion; "I don't know, it's okay I suppose."

"And you're settling in okay?" Eva nodded and Lorna stepped towards her daughter and stroked her cheek. She looked at her mother and smiled softly, knowing her mother was only concerned about her.

"Remember Eva, any problem come and talk to me okay?" She smiled and nodded before stepping back and explaining she had to go otherwise she'd be late for PHSE. Lorna watched as her daughter left the classroom and wondered if she was being truthful, was she really get on as well as she claimed?

/

Eva reached her PHSE classroom, walked inside and sat down beside Cheryl again. They smiled at each other and Eva was glad she'd made a friend.

"I want you to tell me and the rest of the class five things about yourself. Now it can be anything from your favourite colour, your knowledge and hobbies and interests. I'm going to start with Eva."

Eva swallowed as she stood up. She walked towards the front of the classroom and took a deep breath as thirty pair of eyes stared at her. She didn't want to reveal five things about herself, she didn't like speaking about herself to people. She had a lack of confidence really.

"Five things about me? Woah erm—number one is that my heart is on the right hand side of my body. The medical term is dextrocardia. Number two, I'm the only child. Number three, I'm an actress. Number four, I'm half Irish on my father's side. Number five, I'm-erm, my favourite colour is deep blue."

As she sat back down at her desk, Cheryl whispered; "Are you really an Actress?"

Eva nodded; "I've appeared in a few serial dramas. It's something I want to persue full time when I'm older. For now, I'm just happy doing what I'm doing."

All the thirty children in the class had to talk about themselves. Cheryl was the youngest of three, a surprise baby. She was a Leo, one of the youngest in the year. She was born and raised in France and she's fluent in French. She enjoyed reading.

It was fascinating, learning about the rest of the class and the people she'd be with for the next five years. The rest of the day went fast, every lesson was discussing what they'd do in the year, being introduced to each other and getting the brand new exercise books.

That was Eva's favourite thing. The clean, fresh exercise books.

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	2. CHAPTER II

ϟ

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**CHAPTER TWO**.  
_with all my hopes and dreams._

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Eva sat at the kitchen table, swirling her finger around the rim of the glass. She was staring into space, thinking about the next couple of days. She had a feeling in the pit of her stomach, a sense of dread and that things were going to go wrong.

"How was your first day?" She didn't answer and Lorna leant against the counter, arms folded across her chest; "Eva-Anne?"

"Yes mum?"

"How was your first day?" Eva shrugged her shoulders and took a sip of the orange juice in her glass. As she placed it on the table, she made eye contact with her mother and answered;

"It was alright I suppose, I just feel tired now." She smiled softly and finished her orange juice. As she stood up, Eva took the glass to the sink and rinsed it out with hot soapy water. As she placed it upside down on the draining board, she kissed her mother's cheek.

"Night mum, I'll see you in the morning. It's an important day tomorrow."

Lorna laughed and Eva smiled. She'd never seen her mother so happy as she was around Tom Clarkson. The more her mother was happy, the more she was. Eva left the kitchen, walked along the hall and up the stairs.

As she reached her bedroom, she pushed open the door and stepped inside. Collapsing on top of the bed without changing, she fell asleep, exhausted from the day's events and excited for tomorrow. She couldn't wait to get into her bridesmaid dress, it would be great to finally have Tom as a step-father.

/

She stood in front of the mirror in her braidsmaid dress. It was purple and she looked and felt like a princess. She twirled around, her blonde locks curled and resting on her shoulders with a touch of lipgloss on her lips.

The sound of crying interrupted her thoughts and she frowned. As she slowly walked out of her bedroom, she followed the sound of crying to her mother's room. She knocked gently and pushed open the door.

In the corner of the room was her mother, in her wedding dress, crying in the corner. Eva sighed deeply and knew instantly who was behind her heartache. She stepped towards her mother,

"Please stop crying mum." Lorna sniffed and wiped away the tears with the back of her hand. Eva sat on the bed and didn't know what to do for a moment. She knew things hadn't been easy for her mother or Tom recently, every time they spoke it ended up in an argument.

"Mum, why are you crying? Does Tom not want to marry you?"

Lorna shook her head, sobs still echoing around the room. Eva sighed again, "Then what?"

"What if he's only marrying me because he has too?"

Eva knelt down and cupped her mother's face in her hands. Staring at her in the eye, Eva said gently; "He's marrying you because he loves you, okay?" Lorna nodded and Eva planted a kiss on her mother's lips. She smiled softly and wiped away her mother's tears.

Lorna smiled sadly at her daughter, she was grateful to have her in her life.

/

Eva knew that by attending her mother's wedding, all the teachers in the school would know who her mother was. She didn't mean them knowing, she just didn't want to scare her newly-found friends from being themselves because her mother happened to work at the school.

She sat at one of the tables, swirling the orange liquid around the glass. She was lost in thought wondering if Tom was really marrying her mother for the right reasons. She knew she shouldn't think like that but Eva had a feeling, a feeling that everything was going to go wrong.

"It's Eva-Anne isn't it?"

She looked up, her eyes falling upon Kim Campbell, her form tutor. She nodded her head as Kim took a seat beside her. There was nothing spoken for a moment before Kim asked; "I didn't realise you were Lorna's daughter."

Eva nodded, "I didn't want everyone to find out. I mean, I don't want to scare of my friends because I'm related to a teacher."

Kim laughed and Eva went back to swirling the liquid in her glass. Kim noticed that she didn't look partically happy that her mother had just married the person she'd been engaged to for the last four years.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Eva answered. She knew she was probably being silly and the feeling she had inside was because she was so used to everything going wrong. She chewed her lower lip for a moment before she replied; "I have a feeling everything's going to go wrong."

Eva necked the orange juice, put the glass down on the table and told Kim that she was going outside for some fresh air. She went outside, her mobile phone in one hand seeing if she had any text messages from Cheryl.

She sighed when she realised she hadn't. Stepping outside, the night air hit her and caused goosebumps to appear on her arms. She looked up from her phone, her eyes resting upon Izzie and Tom in a very compromising position.

She blinked. No, this couldn't be happening. Izzie was her godmother, Tom was her step-father. He'd only just married her mother. As she dropped the phone from her grasp, it hit the floor with a bang alerting Izzie and Tom that they weren't alone.

They broke apart and stared at Eva for what seemed like an eternity.

"Eva, it's not what it looks like." Tom began but Eva stepped forward. She couldn't quite make eye contact with Izzie, her Godmother. Her mother's best friend and the one who shouldn't stab her mother in the back like that.

"You back-stabbing little bitch!" Eva was shocked at her outburst, even more shocked when she gave Izzie a slap around the face. Tom grabbed hold of her and tried to move her away but Eva turned on him.

"Get your hands off me, now! I swear to—"

"What an earth is going on?" Jack Rimmer's voice echoed and Eva looked to Jack. She bit her lower lip, tears threatening to fall down her cheeks. She told herself she wouldn't cry, she wouldn't show them how they effected her.

"Do you want to tell him or shall I?" Eva asked but didn't wait for an answer. She jabbed a finger in Izzie's direction and then at Tom's before screaming; "They've been snogging each other. My mother's best friend and her husband. They were kissing."

She burst into tears and Izzie stepped forwards to the girl and pulled her into a hug, "Eva, I never—"

Eva shrugged herself out of the hug and turned to walk back inside. She took one look at her stepfather, one look at her Godmother and replied; "I never want to see both of you ever again. You backstabbing pair of bastards."

The sound of the door slamming shut was the only sound heard in the night.

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**jottings** — if you like it enough to favourite/alert, please leave a review:3


	3. CHAPTER III

ϟ

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**CHAPTER THREE**.  
_every glance is killing me._

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It had been a week since the wedding, a week since Eva caught her godmother and her stepfather. She hadn't told her mother, she couldn't bare the tears, the arguments but it was beginning to effect Eva's performance at school.

Lorna couldn't understand why Eva suddenly hated Tom and Izzie. Her attitude towards them both was shocking but Lorna simply put it down to growing up and hormones. If she ever discovered the truth, she'd be broken hearted, a bit like Eva really.

Drama used to be one of Eva's favourite subjects but now she refused to take part. She'd also started a hate campaign against Izzie often vandalising the walls and noticeboards with the words, _Izzie Redpath is a slut._

Tom hadn't got off lightly either. She knew it took two to tango, they'd both been into each other and that snog. She just took it out on Izzie that little bit more because she was her mother's best friend and best friend's made the commitment _never_ to hurt each other.

"Look I know its hard Eva but you've got to try." She'd been sent to Mr Rimmer for arguing with Mr Clarkson during her English lesson. She slouched in her chair, arms folded across her chest, chewing furiously on some chewing gum.

She scoffed when she heard what he said, "Hard? You've got no idea what it's like. I saw my godmother and my stepfather playing tonsil tennis on _my_ mother's wedding day. I have to pretend nothing happened because I can't bare to see her hurt. Now don't tell me you know what it's like because you don't."

"Whatever has gone on, I can't have it brought into school, understood?"

Eva didn't answer and Jack rose an eyebrow, "Understood?"

"Whatever." She answered, stood up and stormed out of Jack's office. He sighed deeply as his office door slammed shut. He didn't like the situation anymore than Eva, he hated seeing Lorna blissfully unaware of what her husband was getting up too.

Eva sat on the stairs, biting her lower lip. She hated lying to her mother but she couldn't bare to see her hurt. She knew if she found out what Tom had done, it would destory her and Eva would be the one to pick up the pieces, as per usual.

/

"Eva, is there any chance we can have a chat?"

It was the end of Drama and she was packing up. She made eye contact with Cheryl and told her to go on and she'd catch her up at the usual place. The door closed and Eva folded her arms across her chest,

"I don't like wasting time on pathetic sluts like you!"

"Eva, I'm really sorry. It didn't—" Izzie tried to apologise but Eva cut her off. She didn't believe her for one minute that it "didn't mean anything" because Eva saw the way Tom looked at her and it wasn't the way he looked at her mother.

"Look spare me your pathetic chat okay? Like I told you at the wedding, I _never _want to speak to you again!"

She didn't wait for Izzie's answer as she picked up her bag and left the classroom. She met Cheryl in their hangout and Cheryl noticed there was something bothering Eva that she couldn't put her finger on. She did know there was a bit of trouble with Miss Redpath and Mr Clarkson.

"What's going on with you and Miss Redpath? She's not all bad you know."

"She's a cow, a back-stabbing bitch. That's my problem with her!"

Eva began to walk away until Cheryl asked; "Where are you going?"

"Away from this bloody dump." Eva answered back. She knew she needed to get away from here and calm down before she did and said something stupid. She swung her bag in the air and decided that Tom Clarkson needed a good punch in the face.

/

The next lesson after break was English with Mr Clarkson. Cheryl was sat in her usual seat by the window, wondering where the hell Eva had got too. She knew there was something bothering her but she didn't want to feel like she was being a pain in the arse by always asking.

"Katie Bailey?"

"Here Sir."

"Cheryl Barrington?"

"Here Sir."

"Eva-Anne Carson?" Tom looked up from his register and noticed the space where Eva usually sat was empty. Looking at Cheryl he asked if she knew where she was. Cheryl shrugged her shoulders. She wasn't going to say Eva had a_nother_ argument with Miss Redpath.

He was about to open his mouth when the classroom door opened. Eva walked through the door, slammed the door closed and didn't even apologise for being late. It was only as she appraoched her desk and threw her bag down that Tom asked;

"And where've you been?"

Eva sat down and folded her arms across the chest; "To the toilet. I needed a pee, is that alright with you?"

The class whistled and began to laugh. Tom put down his pen, "And why couldn't you do that at break time?"

"Erm, let me see." She put a finger to her lips like she was thinking and answered; "Oh that's right. Your little slut on the side insisted on keeping me after Drama. The bitch wasted five/six minutes of my break time."

"Cooler now!" Eva laughed as she stood up. As she put her bag on her shoulder, she kicked her chair underneath the desk; "With—fucking—pleasure."

/

She lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling. Her bridesmaid dress was still in the corner of her bedroom, a dress that should make her remember happy memories but doesn't. It only makes her remember catching _them_ snogging the face of each other.

She heard the door close downstairs and she knew he was home. She got out of bed and walked out of the room, sitting on the top of the stairs. She listened to their conversation, the feeling of anger pouring from the pit of her stomach at the way Tom was talking to her mother.

"I've gotta be honest with you Lorna. The reason I married you was because I didn't want to embarrass you. And I knew it was wrong and I'm so sorry. I really am but it's too late. But I swear, if I'd known you were pregnant, I'd have never gone ahead with it."

Eva sighed. So her mother was pregnant and this was how he was going to talk to her.

She walked down the stairs and made eye contact with her mother. Tears were pouring down her cheeks and yet he didn't seem to care. She looked at Tom and without a word, punched him right in the face.

"That is for talking to my mother like she's a piece of shit."

The blow knocked Tom off his feet and he brought his hand to his mouth. He could taste iron in his mouth and he noticed Eva had drawn blood. He didn't try and get up, he didn't try and argue back. Lorna touched her daughter's hand,

"Leave him." Eva shook her head; "No, I can't." She looked at Tom again and spat at him, "You _ever_ talk to my mother like that again and I'll kill you, understood? Now get the hell out of our house before I do something I regret."

He got to his feet, looked at his wife and step-daughter and left the house. As the door closed, Lorna fell to her knees, head in her hands. Eva sighed and knelt down beside her mother. As she hugged her tightly and run her hand through her hair, she whispered;

"Don't cry over him mum, he isn't worth it. Please mum, please stop crying."

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**jottings** — if you like it enough to favourite/alert, please leave a review:3


	4. CHAPTER IV

ϟ

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**CHAPTER FOUR**.  
_i'm not perfect but i keep trying._

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She cried herself to sleep that night, holding on the teddy her father got her when she was four years old. She held it tightly to her chest, wishing there was a way to turn back time. Her mother was always happy with her father, not like she was with Tom.

She knew her mother didn't sleep. When she fell asleep herself past ten, her mother was still crying. She didn't know it was possible for someone to cry as much as Lorna had since Eva had told Tom to go. It reminded Eva of the time the police arrived to tell her mother, her father had been murdered.

The first thing Eva did when she woke up was check out her mother. As she pushed open the door, she saw her mother lying on the bed. She was asleep and Eva smiled sadly before tucking the duvet over her mother.

She stirred but didn't wake up. Eva left the bedroom and walked downstairs to the kitchen. Switching on the kettle, she decided she was going to make her mother a cup of tea and some breakfast. She leant against the counter waiting for the kettle to boil.

She took her mother's favourite mug out of the cupboard and placed a teabag inside before leaving it beside the kettle. Eva bit her lower lip as the kettle boiled and she finished making a cup of tea with two sugars and buttered the toast and cut it into four pieces.

Eva guessed her mother wouldn't have much of an appetite. Her mother never did when she was upset. Taking the cup of tea and the toast upstairs, she opened the bedroom door with her foot.

Her mother was still asleep and she put them down on the bedside table. Sitting down beside her mother on the edge of the bed, she watched her sleep for a second before she gently shook her awake.

"Mum, wakey wakey!" Lorna stirred and opened her eyes, looking at her daughter.

"I've made you breakfast in bed." She nodded towards the bedside table and Lorna put her hand on Eva's cheek. There wasn't anything spoken for a moment as Lorna just stroked her cheek. She didn't know where she'd be without her daughter.

"Where would I be without you?"

Eva smiled, "Lost perhaps?" She smiled and stood up. She walked towards the bedroom door when Lorna asked, "Do you want to stay at home today? We could have a girlie day out or in? Whatever you prefer."

Eva listened to what her mother was saying and shrugged. She knew she didn't want to go to school today, seeing Tom after she punched him yesterday. She leant against the door frame, folded her arms and answered softly,

"Shall we stay in and eat ourselves silly?"

"Deal!"

/

Eva had got changed out of her pyjamas and visited the shop. She came back clutching two big bags full of sweets and drinks for their girlie day in. She'd brought several harbio sweets, a litre bottle of cherry coke, everything she loved to eat.

It was only when she returned home that she got changed back into her pyjama's and took her duvet downstairs. As she walked into the living room, Eva saw Lorna sat on the settee staring at a photograph of her and Tom when they were happy.

Eva sighed deeply and threw the duvet at Lorna; "Look forget about him, please."

She went to the kitchen and came back with bowls and glasses. As she placed them on the table, she threw the remote control at Lorna who caught it. She knelt in front of the DVD rack and turned to her mother,

"What film shall we watch first?" Lorna smiled softly and looked at Eva; "Hmm, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?"

Eva nodded and put the dvd into the dvd player. She walked towards Lorna and sat down beside her, resting her head upon her shoulder. Eva thought this was the perfect opportunity to get Tom of their minds. It had to be.

/

"Are you and Tom finished, forever?"

Lorna looked at her daughter and sighed. If she was truthful, she hoped her and Tom could work through their problems and give their marriage another go. She took her daughter's hand and answered;

"I hope not." Eva chewed her lower lip hard and squeezed her mother's hand; "You know what I'm going to say don't you? Tom doesn't deserve you, he talks to you like your crap. It's wrong mum, you deserve to be treated better. Remember the way dad used to treat you?"

Lorna listened to what Eva was saying. She placed a hand on her daughter's cheek. She remembered the way Eva's dad used to treat her, he treated her like a princess and never hurt her. Lorna missed him a lot, missed him more than she thought was possible.

"Do you miss your father Eva?"

Eva looked at her mother and nodded her head slowly, "Of course I do. Whenever Cheryl talks about her father and stuff, it makes me miss dad because I never really knew him." Lorna stroked her daughter's cheek and sighed softly.

There was nothing else spoken and they both turned back to the television.

/

They'd spent all day eating a ridiculous amount of chocolate and sweets and drinking fizzy drinks. Not to forget, they'd watch a couple of movies. They, well Eva hoped it was enough to make them forget Tom and what a prat he was.

The doorbell rang and Lorna and Eva looked at each other, "I'll get it!" Eva smiled gently and stood up. As she walked towards the door, she unlocked it and pulled it open. She bit her lower lip as she saw who was on the doorstep.

"What do you want?"

Tom sighed. He didn't come here to cause trouble, he'd come to apologise about his behaviour the other night, "Eva, I've not here to cause trouble."

"I don't want to speak to you and I doubt mum does either. Just leave, please."

He shook his head. He couldn't just walk away without apologising to Lorna for being hurtful. He knew he wouldn't get anywhere with Eva though. She was very protective over her mother.

"Eva I—" He began but she cut him off, "Your gonna swan back into _our_ life, apologise for talking to her like shit and fail to mention, you're actually in love with her best friend. Do me a favour, go away."

She was about to close the door when Lorna came to the door. She looked in between Tom and Eva before she whispered to Eva it was alright, she'd talk to Tom. Eva knew she shouldn't but she couldn't bare the thought of Tom messing her mother around again.

"Mum, there's something I need to tell you about Tom."

"Eva don't!" She looked between Tom and her mother, a confused look etched on her mother's face. She knew this was going to break her heart but Eva knew this was needed. He couldn't walk into their lives like nothing had happened.

"What is it Eva?"

There was a pause, "Tom and Izzie have been having an affair, I caught them kissing at your wedding."

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**jottings** — if you like it enough to favourite/alert, please leave a review:3


	5. CHAPTER V

ϟ

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**CHAPTER FIVE**.  
_step into my world._

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Lorna looked between Eva and Tom, shocked at her own daughter's outburst. She didn't want to believe her daughter, why would her husband and her best friend be kissing at her wedding? Then again, why would Eva lie?

"Eva?"

"I'm sorry mum, it's the truth. I was talking to Miss Campbell at the wedding and I went outside for some fresh air. I caught them kissing. They tried to say it was nothing but I didn't believe them. That's why my behaviour at school's got worse. I'm sorry mum, I didn't want to hurt you."

A tear rolled down Eva's cheeks and she turned around and ran up the stairs. Slamming her bedroom door closed, she buried her head in her pillow and began to sob. She'd hurt her mother by revealing the truth and she hated herself for it.

She'd broken her mother's heart. It was all her fault.

"Tom?" Lorna looked at her husband, her daughter's words ringing in her ears. Her husband and her best friend? Tom couldn't bring himself to make eye contact with Lorna and she slapped him hard across the face, "Get out of my sight!"

"Lorna I can explain."

"No Tom, just go!" She slammed the door shut and slid down it, starting to cry. This wasn't what she needed. She was pregnant, she was supposed to be happily married. Now it had all been shattered apart and Lorna couldn't face it.

Eva heard the door slam shut and she wiped away her own tears. As she left the bedroom, she saw her mother on the floor, hugging her knees by the door. She slowly walked down the stairs and knelt down beside her mother.

"Mum, I've so, so sorry. I didn't—"

Lorna made eye contact with her daughter and pulled her into a hug, "This isn't your fault sweetheart, this isn't your fault."

/

"Where were you yesterday, you dirty little skivver?" Cheryl asked as Eva walked into form. Sitting down in their usual seat, Eva shrugged her shoulders and blew a bubble with her chewing gum.

"I had a girlie day in with my mum." Cheryl rose an eyebrow, "And your mum let you have the day of school?"

Eva nodded and laughed. She knew it was probably time to reveal who her mother was, she knew it would only be spread around school before she knew it. Actually, come to think of it she was quite shocked her secret was still safe.

"Can you keep a secret?" Eva asked Cheryl. Cheryl nodded and Eva continued, "Like a big secret?"

Cheryl nodded again, "What's this about?"

There was a pause before Eva looked around making sure no-one was listening to her conversation. With a smile, Eva whispered into Cheryl's ear; "Well, my mum works in this school. You know our English teacher, Mrs Clarkson, she's my mum."

Cheryl began to laugh and shook her head, "No you're kidding!" Realising Eva was been deadly serious, she started to laugh. Punching Eva in the top of her arm, she smirked; "So what's it like, being the daughter of an English teacher. Bet you get loads of help with your homework."

Eva shook her head, "It's not that exciting actually." She was about to elaborate when Kim walked into the classroom and told them to quieten down. Listening to what Kim was saying, she silently promised to tell Cheryl the rest at breaktime.

/

"You know how the other day, you asked me what my problem was with Miss Redpath?"

Cheryl nodded as she took a sip of her drink. Eva bit into her chocolate bar and continued, "Well if I tell you, you've got to promise _never_ to say anything? Please, my mum will go mental."

"What is it?"

She paused for a second and swalowed, "I don't like Miss Redpath or Mr Clarkson 'cos I caught them kissing at my mum's wedding. Like, proper snogging. I went mental, slapped the back-stabbing bitch and everything."

"Woah, the dirty cow."

Eva nodded and threw her chocolate wrapper on the floor; "I know right. I mean, she's my godmother and she's betrayed my mother, they're meant to be best friends. Oh Cheryl, it's such a flippin' mess."

She burst into tears and Cheryl sighed as she pulled her into a hug. Rubbing her back, Cheryl whispered to Eva that it would be okay and things would work out in the end. Eva knew things would never work out, she'd broken her mother's heart.

This was all her fault. Everything was her fault.

"I'm gonna get myself sorted out, alright? Tell whoever we've got next won't you? Thanks Cheryl."

She slowly walked towards reception, wiping away all evidence that she's been crying. She hated this situation she was in. She hated it and yes, she blamed herself because she shouldn't have told her mother. If only she lied, maybe everything would've been sorted itself out.

/

She'd tried to sort herself out in the bathroom, wiped away the tears that had fallen down her cheeks. She couldn't do anything about the state of her eyes, they were puffy and red and a definite giveaway that she'd been crying.

Holding a tissue in the palm of her hand, she turned the corner and collided with someone.

"Sorry." She looked up, her eyes falling upon Andrew Treneman, the Deputy Head Teacher.

"Aren't you suppose to be in lesson?"

She nodded and swallowed; "Yes Sir, PHSE." He looked at her carefully, noting the red eyes and didn't say anything for a moment. Then gently, he asked; "Have you been crying?"

Eva thought about lying but instead answered that she'd been crying but it was because she had stomach ache. Andrew nodded before telling her to visit the nurse. Eva nodded her head slowly and walked down the corridor heading in the direction of the Nurse's office.

He made a mental note to talk to Kim about Eva, there was something troubling her and it wasn't the stomach ache.

/

"Where the hell have you been?" Cheryl hissed as Eva walked into the lesson half an hour later. She apologised to the teacher saying she'd been to visit the nurse and sat down next to Cheryl. She shook her head and whispered;

"I had to go and see the Nurse."

"Why?" Eva let the question hang in the air for a moment as she took out her pencil case and opened her book, "Mr Treneman caught me coming out of the toilets. I told him I had stomach ache."

Cheryl nodded and touched Eva's arm, "Are you sure you're feeling alright? Now you've mentioned it, you do look a bit pale."

"I'm _fine_." Eva answered, perhaps a little too sharply. Cheryl nodded and went back to her own work. Eva looked around the classroom, looked at the board and then to her exercise book. She had no clue what she was doing, this was going to be a long lesson.

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,

**jottings** — if you like it enough to favourite/alert, please leave a review:3


	6. CHAPTER VI

ϟ

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**CHAPTER SIX.**  
_someday a spirit will take you._

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Eva had underlined the title and the date when there was a knock on the door. She looked up, her eyes falling upon Miss Campbell and she sighed deeply. She had a feeling it had something to do with her, she knew Mr Treneman had had a word about earlier.

"Can I have a quick word with Eva please?"

The teacher nodded towards Eva and Cheryl and her exchanged looks for a moment. As Eva stood up, she cursed herself because she'd wasted a page in her book for nothing. Miss Campbell's words were never quick, they always went on.

As they left the classroom, Eva leant against the wall, "Yes Miss?"

"Mr Treneman came to see me before, he was worried about you." There was a pause, "Eva, you know if there's anything troubling you, you can come and talk to me. Anytime okay?"

"Can I go back into the classroom now?" She asked. Kim nodded at the young girl and watched as she walked back into the classroom. She decided to go and talk to Lorna, there was definitely something troubling her. As she sat down at her desk, Cheryl looked at Eva who shook her head, she didn't want to discuss it.

/

"Lorna?" Lorna was sat in the staff-room, marking her year eleven's homework. She looked up to see Kim stood in front of her. Kim sat down beside her and nothing was spoken for a moment, "Is everything okay with Eva?"

Lorna nodded, "Yes as far as I can tell, why?"

"No reason." Kim answered and paused, "I thought with you and Tom splitting up—"

"How did you know?" Lorna asked and looked down at her books. She took a deep breath, she didn't want people at work finding out until she was comfortable in saying so. Kim noticed how it had effected her and answered;

"Jack told me. I'm sorry. How's Eva coping with it? I mean, you two've only just got married."

"She's coping, she's holding up." She nodded her head and Lorna made eye contact with Kim before she asked if there was anything else as she really had to get this marking completed by next period.

Kim said there wasn't and left, understanding why Eva had been the way she was. It can't have been easy on her to have a family one minute and then be on there on again a couple of weeks after. But if only she knew the whole truth.

/

Eva put the bag on her shoulder and knocked on the door. She took a deep breath as she heard the familiar voice of her teacher call her into the classroom. Opening the door, she stepped inside and smiled softly;

"You said I could talk to you?"

Kim nodded. She was glad that Eva had seen sense and came to see her, she wasn't Eva's form tutor and head of pastrol care for nothing. She was used to dealing with student's problems, it was part of her job.

"Take a seat."

Eva dropped her bag on the floor and sat down on one of the stools. She glanced around the classroom before she chewed her lower lip; "You want to know what's troubling me? Everything." She sighed deeply. Kim didn't speak, if she leant anything in her job, it was to late them go at their own pace.

Eva sighed, "Mum and my step-father are divorcing and it's partically my fault. You know at the wedding, when I went outside for some fresh air? I caught them, my newly appointed step-father and my godmother. They were kissing and I didn't say anything to mum at first."

"At first?"

She shook her head, "No because I hoped, deep down it was a mistake but it wasn't. Mr Clarkson is in love with Miss Redpath and there's nothing I can do about it. My mother and Mr Clarkson are divorcing and it makes me—"

"Sad?"

She shrugged, "I don't know. I thought I'd be okay but I'm not. I can't help treating them the way I do, Mr Clarkson and Miss Redpath because they've done nothing wrong, they fell in love and it wasn't wrong of them, I understand that. I just—"

There was a pause on Kim's part, "Can't help feeling betrayed?"

"Yeah." She paused, beginning to bite her lower lip. Kim couldn't help but feel sorry for Eva. She hadn't had it easy and this wasn't easy to deal with. Being eleven years old and caught up in a complicated love triangle with her mother, her step-father and her godmother.

"Have you spoken to Tom and Izzie about how you feel?"

Eva shook her head and Kim asked, "Would you like to talk to them?"

Eva didn't know how to answer. Did she want to talk to them both? Explain that she didn't hate them, because they hadn't planned for this to happen. They fell in love, they slotted together like two jigsaw pieces, completely perfect. Her mother and Tom just didn't fit,

She nodded her head, "I'd like to talk to them, please."

/

Eva talks to Tom first because it's easier to apologise to him. She sits on one of the desks, swinging her legs backwards and forwards, the apology going over and over in her head. She made eye contact with Tom briefly before staring back down at the ground.

"Sorry," she paused and looked up, "I'm sorry for punching you, I'm sorry for talking to you like you're nothing. I'm sorry for being selfish and hurting you and Izzie, really I am but you've got to understand things from my point of view. Tom, you've been in my life since I was seven and I was—am—scared of losing you."

She swallowed the lump she felt in her throat, "I understand that you and my mother weren't meant to be, that's okay too. I just—I just wished I'd hadn't seen you kissing my godmother because, well, it wasn't easy to deal with, as you've both probably noticed."

Tom smiled sadly. He couldn't help blame himself, he was the reason for her problems. If only he did things differently etc.

"Eva, I'm so sorry."

She shook her head and jumped down from the desk, "Forget it, you didn't do anything wrong. Alright, maybe you did because maybe you shouldn't have kissed my godmother at my mother's wedding reception but what's done is done. I hope you and Izzie are happy together, mum—"

She looks back at Tom, eyes meeting with his; "She'll get over it, you'll see."

She smiled and walked to the door. As she opened the door and stepped out, Tom wondered if that was secretly Eva's blessing, allowing him and Izzie to be together. He rubbed his face in his hands, wondering why he had to hurt those he cared for most.

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**jottings** — if you like it enough to favourite/alert, please leave a review.


	7. CHAPTER VII

ϟ

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**CHAPTER SEVEN**  
_i love the way you lie._

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Eva feels slightly better now she'd made peace with Tom but she knew that, in order to fully heal and move on, she'd have to forgive Izzie too. She finds herself sitting on the steps outside Izzie's. She'd knocked on earlier but nobody answered so she decided to stay.

The sooner she got it over and done with the better. She's alone with her thoughts when she hears a car pull up towards the house. She looks up her eyes falling upon Izzie and before either of them could say anything, she answers;

"I'm not here to cause trouble."

Izzie listens to what Eva has to say before inviting her inside. She believes her goddaughter when she says she's not here to cause trouble because Eva wasn't that kind of girl. She didn't cause trouble unless it was absolutely neccessary.

"Izzie," she paused for a second, a small smile upon her face; "I'm really sorry for what I did."

Izzie didn't speak for a second, she just pulled her goddaughter into a hug and hugged her tightly. Eventually, she released her grip and replied back; "I know. I'm sorry too. I hurt you and your mother and I'm sorry."

They sat in the living room, beside each other, neither of them really knowing what to say or what to do. Eva decided to explain why she did what she did. It hurt. They had hurt her by falling in love but now Eva understood, there was nothing anyone could do about it.

They were in love and she had to accept that, "When I saw you and Tom at my mother's wedding I was upset. You're my mum's best friend, my godmother and Tom's my step-father and you were both kissing. I wanted to hurt you both like you hurt us but now I realise I was wrong too."

She looked at Izzie, "You and Tom did nothing wrong, you just fell in love and I accept that. I want you both to be happy even if it's with each other."

She went to stand up leaving Izzie to consider what she'd just said when a hand on her arm stopped her. Slowly she turned, her eyes meeting with Izzie's before Izzie spoke; "Thank you Eva."

She knew how much courage and determination her blessing and apology had taken. Yes she was right. Izzie and Tom by falling in love and hurt the people they were trying to protect most and now they had to deal with the concequences of those actions.

Eva left, returning home half an hour later. Lorna wondered where her only daughter had gotten too. As the front door opened, Eva stepped into the house, careful to wipe her shoes on the mat as it had been raining outside. She took off her hoody and placed it on the end of the stairs.

"Sorry I'm late, I went to Cheryl's for a bit and forgot the time."

Lorna knew, just by the way her daughter was speaking that she was lying but decided to leave it. Now really wasn't the time, not when she had something important to tell her, "Eva-Anne, can you come here for a minute please?"

Eva walked into the living room, her heart feeling tight wondering why her mother wanted to talk to her. She sat down as her mother asked and stared at her, "Mum, what's wrong?"

"I'm pregnant," Lorna watches for her daughter's reaction but even she's more shocked when she answers; "I know."

"How?"

Eva-Anne smiled as she pointed to her knuckles and answered; "That night when I punched Tom, he let slip you were pregnant. That's why I punched him because he was talking to you like dirt and you're pregnant and you can't be doing with the stress."

"I'm not keeping the baby," Eva-Anne nodded. Hell she may have been eleven years old and yet she was mature. She knew the reasons behind why her mother couldn't keep the baby, reasons that didn't need to be spoken about.

"I didn't think you would." She walked up to her mum and hugged her tightly, "It's okay though, it's not exactly the best timing for a baby is it?"

As Lorna hugged her daughter back, she kissed the top of her head and wondered what she'd done to deserve such a thoughtful and wonderful daughter.

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**jottings** / if you like it enough to favourite/alert, please leave a review:3


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